Take-up for circular-knitting machines.



,H. A. HOUSEMAN.

TAKE-UP FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION man JULY 3. 1914.

1,149,262, Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

ATTJIM/EM H. A. HOUSEMAN.

TAKE-UP FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 3,1914- 1,149,Q62. Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

v 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- I IIII 4770/P/VEV.

H. A. HOUSEMAN.

TAKE-UP FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION mm JULY 3, 1914.

hm gmu Patented Aug. 10, 1915.1

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- imirnn s'ra'rns PATENT orurca HARRY A. HOUSEMAN, 0FPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO STANDARD MACHINE COMPANY, OFPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

Application filed July 3,1914. Serial No. 848,718.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HARRY A. HOUSEMAN, acitizen of the United States, residing at Phlladelphia, county ofPhiladelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Take-Ups for Circular-Knitting Machines, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being hadto the accompanying. drawings, which form a part of this specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a take-up motion, adapted moreespecially for application to a circular knitting machine of the rotaryneedle cylinder type, whereby the fabric will be taken up as it is knitin a continuous and gradual manner and without any substantialdistortion or twistin of the same due to the rapid movement'o rotationof the needle cylinder.

In the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of myinvention: Figure up rollers 1 is a front elevation of a part of themachine with my invention applied thereto.- Fig. 2 is an enlarged planview of the take- Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the mechanism shown inFig. 1. Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional plan on the line 5-5' of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is ahorizontal section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1. Fig? is an enlarged planview of the drum showing the brake applied thereto. Fig. 8 is anenlarged plan view-of the cam for restoring to operative position themechanism for driving the take-up rollers.

To understand the mode of operation of the take-up motion proper, it isadvisable to first explain the actuating means therefor. Such actuatingmeans involves an understanding, in a general way, of the drivingmechanism for imparting movements of rotation and oscillation to theneedle cylinder. I shall therefore briefly describe this drivingmechanism, it being understood, however, that the take-up motion isapplicable to any type of circular knitting machine,

particularly that type having a rotating needle cylinder, and that theactuating means for the take-up motion will necessarily vary in detailwith thegeneral con- 'struction of the machine to which it is applied.The driving mechanism herein partially disclosed is the same as thatshown in the application for patent filed jointly by Harry A. Housemanand Harold E. Houseman on the 15th of April, 1913, Serial No.

On the machine frame a is supported the needle cylinder 1) which hassecured to its lower end a gear 11 driven from a gear 12 on the clutchshaft 20. v (See Figs. 1, 3 and 3.) On shaft 20 are slidably mountedpin- 1011s 21 and 22 which have sleeves to which are yoked verticallymovable arms 24, 24, secured to a post 19, which is movable up and down,by pattern controlled mechanism, not shown.

A clutch 23 is fixed on shaft 20 between pinions 21 and 22. The upperpinion 21 is constantly rotated and the lower pinion 22 constantlyoscillated. When post 19 and arms 24, 24, are moved down, thus engagingrotary pinion 21 with clutch 23 and disengaging the oscillatory piniontherefrom, gear 12 is continuously rotated, thus continuously rotatingthe needle cylinder. \Vhen post 19 and arms 24, 24, are moved up, asshown in Fig. 3, thus disengaging rotary pinion 21 from clutch '23 andengaging oscillatory pinion 22 therewith, gear 12 is oscillated, thusoscillating theneedle cylinder. Pinion 21 is constantly rotated by meansof a spur gear 25 meshing with pinion 21. 4 The shaft 26 of spur gear 25carries a. bevel gear 27 driven from a bevel pinion 28' on the drivingshaft 0. Pinion 22 is constantly oscillated by the following meins (seeFig. 6). On shaft 26 is a crank 29 connected by a link 30 with an arm 31turning on a post 32. Extending from the hub of arm 31 is a quadrant 33engaging pinion 22.

Sleeved on clutch shaft 20 is a spur gear wheel 40 (see Figs. 3 and 5).A collar 34 is secured to clutch shaft 20 and has a pin 35 adapted, inthe movement of the clutch shaft when starting rotation, to strike a pin37 on a member 36 sleeved on the clutch shaft between collar. 34 andgear 40. Member 36 -in turn engages a pin 38 on gear 40 and thuspositively rotates gear40. A spring 41 connects member 36 and gear 40 insuch moved positively through pin 38. Thus the starting movement ofrotation of gear 40 is a gradual and yielding one. \Vhen the rotarymovement of clutch shaft 20 ceases and its oscillatory movementcommences, pin 35 recedes from pin 37, and spring 41 draws back member36 until it strikes a pin 39 on gear 40, thus restoring the parts to theposition shown in Fig. 5. Thereafter collar 34 and pin 35 oscillatebackand forth with clutch shaft 20, but do not actuate gear 40, becausepin in its forward oscillation,

does not move beyond the position shown.

Gear 40 meshes with an annular gear 42 secured to a frame 43 on a drum(1. (See Figs. 1 and 3.) This drum turns on a vertical axis and at itslower end has a step bearing on a pin 44 threaded in the outer end of abracket on the machine frame. Frame 43 is provided with bearings for apair of take up rollers c, 7", located above the mouth of drum (Z. (Seealso Fig. 2.)

It will be observed that drum cl and takeup rollers e, f, are directlybeneath the needle cylinder. The knitted fabric :0 fed from the machinepasses directly down between these take-up rollers into the interior ofdrum at.

As shown, gears 11 and 12 correspond in diameter, as do gears 40 and 42.Hence, as the needle cylinder rotates, drum (Z rotates in unisontherewith; Take-up rollerse, f, also havean independent turning movementon their axes so as to positively draw down the fabric as it is fed fromthe needle cylinder. This is effected by the following mechanism:Secured to the drum (Z is a block 45 in which slides an upright rod 46having a collar 47 between which and the block 45 is stretched a tensionspring 48, which tends to draw down the rod. The upper end of the rod ispivotedto a segmental gear 49, which in turn is'pivote'd on the frame43. The segmental gear 49 meshes with a gear 50 which is loose on theshaft of roller 6. Gear 50 carries a pawl 51 which engages a ratchetwheel 52 fixed on the shaft of roller e. The shaft of roller 6 has agear wheel 53 which engages a gear wheel 54 on the shaft of roller 7'.The shaft of rollerf is slidably mounted in its bearings and the shaftsof the two rollers are connected by tension springs 55, 55. Spring 48constantly tends to draw down rod 46 and thus, through segmental gear49, gear 50, pawl 51 and ratchet 52, turns roller 0, and, through gears53 and 54, roller 7; but this tendency, being resisted by the fabricstretched between'the needle cylinder and the mouth of the rolls, isoperative only to the extent allowed by the new courses as they areknit. Hence, the

rollers constantly rotate at a speed equal to the feed of fabric fromthe needles. To the lower endv of rod 46 is pivoted a lever 58 having atits lower end a wheel 59 adapted,

when spring-48 has pulled down rod 46 to a determined level, to engage afixed cam 60 beneath the drum (see Figs. 3, 4 and 8), which cam, as thedrum rotates, lifts lever 58 and rod 46, throwing spring 48 into tensionand, through segmental gear 49, reversing gear 50 and causing pawl 51 tosnap idly over ratchet 52. In the meantime, a holding pawl 56, pivotedon frame 43, engages a ratchet 57 on the shaft of roller 6 and therebyprevents the take-up rollers from turning back on their axes andmaintains the tension on the fabric. As soon as wheel 59 rides beyondtheend of cam 60, rod 46, under the tension of spring 48, again starts tomove down slowly, and the operation again proceeds as above'described.

It will be understood that if wheel 59 were always in line of movementof cam 60 it would strike the upper or rear part of the cam on eachrotation of drum d, and thus the take-up rollers would turn with aseries of short jerks, causing a sharp pull on the fabric at each turnof drum d. It is desired to avoid this mode of operation and to causethe rollers to exert a steady uninterrupted pull on the fabricthroughout a considerable number of successive revolutions of the drum.This is effected by the following construct-ion: Lever 56 is madeheavier at the top than at the bottom so that, under the action ofcentrifugal force, the lower end of the lever carrying wheel 59 normallyswings inward, its swinging movement in the direction being limited byits engagement with the drum. Cam 60 is made Wider at its front end thanat its rear end; its outer margin being concentric, and its inner margineccentric, to the axis of the drum. The outer margin of the cam isbounded bya high Wall 61 and its inner margin by a low wall 62.Normally, wheel 59 is in such position that as it passes the front ofcam 60, it is in vertical alinement with the cam at or near its innermargin, while as soon as it has moved a little farther on, it is nolonger in vertical alinement with the cam. In other words, the wholecam, except near its front end, is outside the normal path of the.wheel. Hence, as rod 46, under the tension of spring 48, descends,wheel 59 does not engage cam 60 until after a considerable number ofturns of the drum and until the rod has been drawn down so low thatwheel 59 strikes the inner face of wall 62 just at or beyond the extremefront of cam 60. After this occurs, wheel 59 cannot escape from the camand lever 58 is drawn in toward a versition. An abutment or guide 63,depending from the bottom of drum 60, engages lever 58 as it rides upand constrains it to move vertically.

It has been hereinbefore explained that in the shift from rotation tooscillation, gears 40 and 42 are no longer driven, but the tendency isfor the drum to continue to r0- tate by momentum. The effect would bethat pin 39 would engage member 36 which would be carried around untilpin 37 would strike pin 35. To avoid this I apply a brake strap 64: todrum (1 and tighten this strap as soon as the shift from rotation tooscillation is effected. Brake strap 64 (see Figs. 4 and 7) is securedat one end to the machine frame, extends partly around the drum and atits other end is secured to a rigid extension 65, which isconnected withthe machine frame by a spring 66, which tends to apply the brake. Thistendency is overcome however, during rotation, by a bell crank lever 67,one arm of which is secured to the extension 65 while the otherarm-underlies post 19. When post19 is lifted, as

in Figs. 3, 4 and 7, to effect the shift from rotation to oscillation,the upper arm of" the bell crank is no longer held down and spring 66 istherefore free to act upon extension 65 to apply strap 64 and stoprotation of drum (Z. It is also desirable to brake drum (l as soon asthe machine is stopped. On the driving shaft 0 are the fixed drivingpulley g and the loose idle pulley h. A belt shifter 7 0 is secured to aslidable shaft 71. A spring 72 tends to move shaft 71 into position tocause belt shifter 70 to move the belt into engagement with loose pulleyIt. By means of a hand lever 73 engaging a collar 74 on shaft 71, thelatter and belt shifter 70 may be moved into position to bring the beltinto engagement with driving pulley g; shaft 71 being retained in thisposition by means not shown but well known in the art. The lower end oflever 78 engages an angle plate riveted to brake strap 64. When lever 73is released and spring 72 allowed to move shaft 7 i to cause beltshifter 70 to shift the belt to the idle pulley it, the lower end oflever 73-is movedagainst the cam face of angle plate 75 and therebydraws the brake strap 64 tightly around the drum.

Having now fully described my invention,

what I claim and desire to protect by Let ters Patent is z p 1. In acircular knitting'machine, the combination with a rotary needlecylinder, of a.

'restore said mechanism and tension device to their initial operativecondition.

2. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with a rotary needlecylinder, of a take up roller, means to rotate the latter bodily inharmony with the needle cylinder, a tension device, mechanism actuatedby the tension device and connected with the take up roller and adaptedto turn the same on its axis and thereby draw down the fabric as itis-knit, a cam adapted to engage said mechanism and restore it and thetension device to its initial operative position, and means to maintainsaid mechanism and cam out of operative relation until after the tensiondevice has actuated said mechanism to a predetermined extent.

3. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with a rotary needlecylinder, of a take up roller, means to rotate the latter bodily inharmony with the needle cylinder, a tension device, mechanism actuatedby the tension device and connected with the take up roller and adaptedto turn the same on its axis and thereby draw down the fabric as it isknit, a cam, a cam-actuated member included in said mechanism andadapted, as said mechanism is so actuated, to move below the level ofthe higher part of the cam, and means to maintain said member and camout of operative relation until said wheel has moved substantially tothe level of the lower part of the cam.

4:. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with a rotary needlecylinder, of a take up roller, means to rotate the latter bodily inharmony with the needle cylinder, a tension device, mechanism actuatedby the tension device and connected with the take up roller and adaptedto turn the same on its axis and thereby draw down the fabric as it isknit, and a transversely movable camactuated member included in saidmecha nism and normally in vertical alinement with the lower part of thecam and out of vertical alinement with the higher part of the cam,whereby said member engages the cam only after the tension device hasactuated said mechanism to a predetermined extent.

5. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with a rotary needlecylinder, of a take up roller, means to rotate the latter bodily inharmony with the needle cylinder, a tension device, mechanism actuatedby the tension device and connected with the take up roller and adaptedto turn the same on its axis and thereby draw down the fabric as it isknit, a fixed circular-shaped cam, the higher part of which is normallyout of alinement with said mechanism, and an eccentric flangesubstantially below the level of the higher part of the cam and inalinement with said mechanism and adapted to its axis and thereby drawdown the fabric as it is knit, said mechanism including a bodily inharmony with the needle cylinder,

engage the same after a number of revolutions of the needle cylinder andplace it into operative relation with the cam.

6. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with a rotary needlecylinder, of a take up roller, means to rotate the latter bodily inharmony with the needle cylinder, a tension device,mechani sm actuatedby the tension device and connected with the take up 1 roller andadapted to turn the same on its axis and thereby draw down the fabric asit is knit, a transversely movable camactuated member included in saidmechanism and normally in vertical alinement with the lower part of thecam and out of vertical alinement with. the upper part of the cam, and aflange adapted, after said member has moved substantially below thelevel of the higher part of the cam, to engage said member and move ittransversely into operative relation with the cam whereby it is liftedto the level of the higher part of the cam.

7. In a circular knitting machine, the combinationwith a rotary needlecylinder, of a take up roller, means to rotate the latter bodily inharmony with 'the needle cylinder, a tension device, mechanism actuatedby the tension device and connected with the take up roller and adaptedtoturn the same on swingable lever and a wheel there0n,and a camadapted, after said wheel is depressed below the higher part of the cam,to engage said wheel and lift said lever and thereby restore saidmechanism and tension device to their initial operative condition. a

8. In a circular knitting machine, the combination witha rotary needlecylinder, of a take-up roller, means to rotate the latter a tensiondevice, mechanism actuated by the tension and connected with the take uproller and adapted to turn the same on its axis and thereby draw downthe fabric as it is knit, a. fixed cam, said mechanism including aswingable lever and a wheel thereon normally out of alinement with thehigher part of the cam, whereby the tension device may operatecontinuously during a considerable number of rotations of the needlecylinder, and an eccentric flange at the lower part of the cam adapted,after the wheel has been depressed to a definite level,'to engage saidlever and swing it out of normal position into operative relation withthe cam.

9. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with a rotary needlecylinder, of' a take up roller, means to rotate the latter bodily inharmony with the needle cylinder, a tension device, mechanism actuatedby the tension device and connected with the take up roller and adaptedto turn the same on its axis and thereby draw. down-the fabric as it isknit, a fixed cam, said mechanism including a lever pivoted to swingradially, under the action of centrifugal force, out of operativerelation with the higher part of the cam during a considerable number ofrotations of-the needle cylinder, and means adapted, after saidmechanism has been depressed to a definite extent, to engage said ,ofcentrifugal force, a wheel carried by the lever, a fixed circular-shapedcam, and

an eccentric. flange at the lower level of" the cam adapted to engagesaid wheel and swing it transversely away from its normal posit1on intooperative relation with the-cam,

. lever and swing it out of normal position which thereby restores saidtension device and mechanism to their initial operative condition,

11. In a circular knitting machine, the combination withva rotary needlecylinder, of a take-up roller, a rod, a tension device tending to movesaid rod, gearing, and pawl and ratchet mechanism actuated bv the rodand adapted to turn the takeup roller on its axis and thereby draw downthe fabric as it is knit, means to rotate the needle cylin-' der and theremainder of said elements in harmony therewith, a cam, a membercarried'by said rod adapted to engage said cam, and means to restrainsaid member from engaging said cam until said member moves below thelevel of the higher part of the cam.

12. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with a rotary needlecylinder, of a take-up roller, a rod, a tension device tending to movesaid rod, gearing and pawl and ratchet "mechanism actuated by the rodand adapted to turn the take-up roller on its axis and thereby draw downthe fabric as it is knit, means to rotate the needle cylinder and theremainder of said elements in harmony therewith, a lever pivoted on saidrod the needle cylinder, a shaft revoluble and oscillatable in harmonywith the needle cylinder, a rotatable member adapted to be actuated bysaid shaft when the same, at the beginning of its rotary movement, turns'beyond the are described in its oscillatory movement, a frame turningwith said turnablemember, a take-up roller carried by the frame, atension device, mechanism actuated thereby connected with the take-uproller and adapted to turn the same on its axis and thereby draw downthe fabric as it is knit, a cam adapted to engage said mechanism andrestore it and the tension device to their initial position, and meansto maintain said mechanism and cam out of operative relation until afterthe tension device has actuated said mechanism to a predeterminedextent.

14. In a circular knitting machine, the combination With a rotary needlecylinder, of means to alternately rotate and oscillate the needlecylinder, a rotatable member and take-up mechanism rotatable therewith,a second rotatable member movable relatively to, but adapted whenrotated to positively drive, the first rotatable member, a shaftturnable in' harmony with the needle cylinder, a third member turnablewith the shaft and oscillatable independently of the other two membersbut adapted when rotated to positively drive the second rotatablemember, and a; flexible connection interposed in the driving connectionbetween the shaft and the take-up mechanism adapted to impart acushioned or gradual starting movement to the latter at the beginning ofthe rotary driving movement of the shaft.

15. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with a rotary needlecylinder, of means to alternately rotate and oscillate the needlecylinder, a rotatable mem- "ber and take-up mechanism rotatabletherewith, a second rotatable member adapted to positively drive thefirst rotatable member, a flexible driving connection between the tworotatable members adapted to be rendered operative before the positivedrive operates, and a shaft turnable in harmony with the needle cylinderhaving an oscillatory movement independent of the second rotatablemember but adapted in rotation to rotate the second rotatable member.

16. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with a rotary needlecylinder, of means to alternately rotate and oscillate the needlecylinder, a shaft rotatable and oscillatable in harmony with the needlecylinder, a rotatable member, a frame turning with said member, atake-up roller carried by the frame, means to turn the take-up roller onits axis and draw down the fabric as it is knit, a pin turning with theshaft, a second turnable member adapted to be turned by said pin whenthe shaft, at the beginning of its rotary movement, turns bewith saidmember, a take-up roller carried by the frame. means to turnthe take-uproller on its axis and draw down the fabric as it is knit, a pin turningwith the shaft. a second turnable member adapted to be turned by saidpin when the shaft, at the beginning of its rotary movement, turns beyond the are described in its oscillatory movement, a spring connectingthe two turnable members and. operating to start rotation of the firstturnable member, and two pins on the first turnable member, one in frontof,-and the other back of, the second turnable member, said pinslimiting the. relative turning movements of the two turnable members.18. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with a' needlecylinder, of rotary driving means, oscillatory driving means, shiftingmechanism to connect the needle cylinder alternately with the twodriving means, a take-up device, connections between said cylinder andtake-up device whereby they rotate in harmony during rotation of theneedle cylinder, means whereby said connections are disrupted in theoscillatory movement of the needle cylinder, a brake for the take-updevice, and means controlled by the shifting mechanism, in the shiftfrom rotation to oscillation, to effect the actuation of the brake.

19. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with a needlecylinder, of rotary driving means, oscillatory driving means, shiftingmechanism to connect the needle cylinder alternately with the twodriving means, a take-up device, connections between said cylinder andtake-up device whereby they rotate in harmony during rotation of theneedle cylinder, means whereby said connection are disrupted in theoscillatory movement of the needle cylinder, a brake for the take-updevice, a movable post included in said shifting mechanism, and a leveractuated by said post and connected with the brake;

20. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with a needlecylinder, of rotary driving means, oscillatory driving means, shiftingmechanism to connect the needle cylinder alternately with the twodriving means, a take-up device, connections between said cylinder andtake-up device whereby they rotate in harmony during rotation of theneedle cylinder, means whereby said'connections are disrupted in theoscillatory movement of the needle cylinder, a brake for the take-updevice, a spring tending to apply the brake, a. lever connected with thebrake and adapted to restrain the spring, and a post included in saidshifting mechanism and adapted, in the shift from rotation tooscillation, to render the lever inoperative to restrain the spring, andadapted, in the contrary shift, to move the lever into position torelease, the brake against the action of the spring. 7

21. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with a rotary needlecylinder, of a take-up device for the knitted fabric, means to rotatethe take-up device bodily in harmony with the needle cylinder, a drivingshaft adapted to rotate the needle cylinder, a lever, connectionstherefrom operable thereby to stop said shaft, a brake-strap for thetake-up device, and a piece secured to the strap and presenting a camface in line of movement of the lever in the latters movement to effectstoppage of the driving shaft, whereby the lever applies the strap tothe takedevice and stops its rotation.

22. n a circular knitting machine, the combination with a needlecylinder, of rotary driving means, oscillatory driving 'means, shiftingmechanism to connect the needle cylinder alternately with the twodriving means, a take-up device, connections between said cylinder andtake-up device whereby they rotate in harmony during rotation of theneedle cylinder, means whereby said connect-ions are disrupted in theoscillatory'movement of the needle cylinder, a brake for the take-updevice, a'lever, connections therefrom operable thereby to stop saiddriving means, and means operable by said lever to apply the brake inthe'movement of the lever in the direction to effect stoppage of saiddriving means.

23. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with a rotary needlecylinder, of a rotatable driving shaft, rotary driving means andoscillatory driving means operable from the driving shaft,shiftingmechanism to connect said cylinder alternately with said twodriving means, a take-up device, connections between said cylinder andtake-up device whereby they rotate in harmony, means whereby saidconnections are disrupted during oscillation of said cylinder, mechanismto stop the driving shaft, and mechanism actuated respectively from theshifting mechanism and from the stopmechanism to effect a brake actionupon the take-up device.

In testimony of which invention, I have hereunto set my hand, atPhiladelphia, on this 2nd day of July, 1914.

HARRY A. HOUSEMAN.

Witnesses:

M. M. HAMILTON, E. E. WALL;

Gopies 01 this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

